[How to manage a woman with a sexual complaint in clinical practice?]

To describe the main female sexual dysfunctions, their mechanisms, and the broad outlines of their therapeutic management.

Review of consensus conferences and published guidelines on this subject and a reflexion from our own clinical experience, in urogynaecological practice.

Female sexual dysfunction is frequent and can present in different ways; pain, problems concerning desire and satisfaction. These symptoms can be associated with concomitant male sexual dysfunction. These symptoms can be managed by a gynaecologist if he/she is trained accordingly. Knowledge of this is essential for a gynaecologist in daily practice but also for an urologist treating both female urinary incontinence or pelvic prolapse and male sexual dysfunction.

Women's sexual disorders can considerably affect the quality of life of the partner and the couple. As the patients hesitate to speak of such matters the clinician should begin the dialogue with simple open questions.